Love Don't Live Here Anymore
by SadEyedLadyoftheLowlands
Summary: He knew it was the wrong thing to say immediately when Kat's mouth turned down into a frown. He couldn't take it back now. His words were floating in the space between them, turning the gears in Kat's head. Now continues from finale Cliffhanger
1. After a Heated Argument

**Love Don't Live Here Anymore**

**Author:** SadEyedLadyoftheLowlands

_**A/N: How freaking depressing is it that this show is cancelled? Kat and Patrick are probably now in my list of favourite tv couples of all time! Their awesomeness is without words.**_

_**This piece of writing just came out of me like word vomit, I might continue it?**_

_**WARNING! A little spoilery for 1x18 but mostly just speculation.**_

_Love love love don't live here anymore _

_You say that it's a shame and show me the door _

_You say that you don't need me anymore _

_And I said_

_Love love love don't live here any more_

_Love love love all you want is ending _

_Love love love all the nights we're spending _

_Love love love don't live here anymore _

"_Love Don't Live Here Anymore" - Ladyhawke_

He couldn't understand how things had gone so wrong, so fast. One moment all had been right with the world. He and Kat had been so close. So close to being _so close. _He had planned the perfect night for them to finally have sex. An issue that they had been skirting around for weeks, their make-out sessions heating up and his nights sleeping beside her growing strangely frustrating. And then, like it always was with them, the moment was trashed with a couple of words uttered without thinking. And then...and then well things just went downhill from there.

Patrick had never wanted to be with someone as bad as he wanted to be with Kat. But he didn't want to rush her, didn't want to rush the flurry of emotions they were clearly both feeling, didn't want to crash just when their relationship was about to take off. However, he was pretty sure if spontaneous human combustion was ever possible one or both of them would be experiencing the phenomenon pretty soon.

So the night they had planned, anticipated nervously, excitedly, finally came and the kisses grew frantic, desperate, urgent, until they were both wearing practically nothing. And then as if he had abandoned all control of his body, his senses, his self control, he found himself pulling away, looking into Kat's eyes and saying the unthinkable. The worst thing he could have possibly said.

_I love you._

He knew it was the wrong thing to say immediately when Kat's soft, lusty gaze hardened, her muscles stiffened and her mouth turned down into a frown. He couldn't take it back now. His words were floating in the space between them, turning gears in Kat's head. And though he couldn't believe he had said the words first, and was terrified out of his mind, he still hadn't expected what had happened next.

Kat stood up, started putting her clothes back on, and shoved his into his lap as he sat up on the bed, and told him quietly and coldly to _get out._

Patrick didn't have much experience with saying those three words to girls, but he was pretty sure this was the exact opposite reaction that she was supposed to have to the confession. No—he was absolutely positive that Kat was supposed to have wanted to have sex with him more – she was supposed to melt in his arms – give him a smile, one of her genuine Kat smiles which he had grown fond of and then say it back. Or something. Not this. Not this cold angry gaze she was giving him now.

So after a heated argument, where the words _frigid bitch_, _psychotic_, and _heartless_ may have left his mouth, joining the other three words still floating around the room in the realm of 'things I can never take back', he was gone with the slamming of the door. As he walked home (because he was still sans motorcycle) he was still buttoning up his shirt and tying the shoelaces on his Converse sneakers.

Oh- and it was raining.

And now, lying in his own stupid bed, in the same house as the jackass he called his stepfather, in the last place he ever wants to be, let alone the night he was supposed to have had sex with his awesome sexy girlfriend, he was now cursing the day he met Kat Stratford.

And cursing the day he had let his guard down enough to tell her that he loved her.


	2. I Won't Admit Defeat

**Love Don't Live Here Anymore **

**Chapter 2:** I Won't Admit Defeat

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Kat knew she had probably lost her mind.

Patrick Verona had said he loved her and she had kicked him out.

After all the fuss she had made, after all the late nights she had spent wanting him to be her boyfriend, wanting _him, _it didn't make sense did it? What girl gets pissed when her super mysterious, super- guarded boyfriend opens up and says those three words right before they are about to do it for the first time?

Kat couldn't entirely explain it to herself.

But when Patrick had looked at her with his curls mussed, shirt off, eyes that bore right into her, and said that, the last thing she ever expected him to say, she didn't feel relieved, or out of her mind happy. She knew she should, but she couldn't quite make herself believe it. Something wrong, some icky feeling burrowed it's way into her stomach, and she found herself telling him to _get out. _

She realized now the scene had felt all too familiar. And the memories that it had brought were not ones she wanted to remember. Maybe it was stupid. She sure as hell didn't want to feel this way. Yesterday, she couldn't have wanted Patrick more. The previous Friday at school she had been walking in a haze, delirious, frankly acting like a lovesick little girl. But though it felt so good to sleep next to him, and it felt even better to kiss him, there was something still standing in her way.

There was a time when she would have loved to hear those words, but the person she had become since her mom died refused to entertain love.

Oh, and there was Mr. Ohio of course. Her mom's death and Mr. Ohio were tied up together, one black, swirling mass of a dark period in her memory. Ever since Mr. Ohio, Kat had vowed never to feel that out of control again, and never to feel that taken advantage of. She wasn't going to be like all those other girls. She wasn't going to submit herself to a man, wasn't going to let herself believe in that teen movie romance Bianca swore by and swooned over. Kat didn't believe anymore that Jake Ryan would show up waiting for outside the church. Besides, Jake Ryan might have been a total fox, but his ignorant 80's attitudes towards date rape were strongly objectionable.

So, yes she had kicked Patrick out. Because she had tried so hard to reconcile her independence with her feelings for him, and she couldn't. When he had said _I Love You_, it all felt like defeat, surrender.

It was one thing to care about Patrick, to feel human compassion towards him, even to be sexually attracted to him, but _love_?

Kat didn't know how she felt about _love_.

Even though he had been the first one to say it, the expectation of her response hung in the air. She couldn't say it, she couldn't do it.

And now lying in her bed, alone, her thoughts on the subject had muddled themselves into a rambling mess of confusion. All she felt was how empty the room was without him there.

* * *

Monday came and Kat and Patrick still hadn't spoken.

Patrick refused to feel too bad. He was sure that all he felt towards Kat Stratford was disappointment and disgust . Most definitely not hurt or sadness. He sure as hell hadn't considered drinking himself into coma. And he definitely hadn't stolen back his bike from the jackass and drove by her house to stare in her window.

Nope. Patrick was sure the worst consequence of this whole _'I love you' – 'get out'_ thing was that he was stuck crashing on Keith's couch instead of the warm and plush left side of Kat's bed.

He sure as hell didn't miss the girl in the bed. Or the feeling of her lying next to him. Or her rants on oil spills and animals in captivity and the conflicts of the Middle East. Nope.

His confession had been a mistake. A mistake he would like to forget as quickly as possible.

Ashley Quinn would do nicely enough. She was blonde and built. And all about having fun. She wasn't very bright, but it's not like he wanted to have a conversation with her.

He also enjoyed the fact that she was everything Kat wasn't, because Ashley was hot and he was done.

Done with brunettes who talk too much and turn everything you say around on you.

* * *

When Kat walked into school to see Patrick pressing some dumb blonde against _her_ locker, she was sure she had the smartest decision of her life in throwing Patrick out.

She was disgusted, horrified. But when she cleared her throat loudly and put on her best '_don't mess with me' _stare and Patrick's eyes met hers, there was something else there buried under the self righteousness and thrilling feeling of feminist independence.

_Shit._

"Do you two want to take it elsewhere? I'm sure there is a nice alleyway or janitor's closet nearby..."

Patrick stopped leaning on the locker, looked at dumb blonde chick and said:

"I'll call you later." he frowned without a second glance at Kat, who watched him walk away.

The blonde spoke up.

"That's so weird" she said in the squeakiest voice Kat had ever heard come out of a human person, "I thought you guys were together or something. Guess not." The girl twirled a hair around her finger.

"Nope", Kat said curtly, beginning to turn the combination on her locker. The girl still stood there.

"Bubye now! It's time to go to class." Kat sing songed, still sensing her presence. "One day your looks will fade, and you'll be forced to crack open a textbook"

Dumb Blonde scrunched her face.

"Well I see why, now" she said, disgusted. "You're kind of a bitch".

Kat turned to see the girl strut away, but her mouth couldn't form any words of protest.

_Shit._

She _was_ kind of a bitch, wasn't she?

* * *

**A/N: Can Katrick find their way back to each other ? What happened with Kat and Mr. Ohio that's got her so messed up? Stay tuned to find out! REVIEW PLEASE! :) **


	3. Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

**Chapter 3**: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

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A/N: Sorry for the wait!

**So now that we know that Mr. Ohio's name was Josh on the show, that's the name I'm going to go with. However, my version of Kat losing her virginity still varies from the show's explanation.**

**P.S. **_**Changes**_** was epic. Until Patrick said the wrong thing. Again. And Kat overreacted. Again. Hopefully these two crazy kids can work it out in the last two episodes.**

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Bianca thought she felt the whole house shake as Kat slammed the door shut on her way into the Stratfords' home.

She was sitting at the kitchen table working on a geography assignment; a project in which she'd managed to incorporate a ton of sparkles and large colourful illustrations, when she witnessed her older sister pass her like a tornado, and head straight up the stairs without so much as a word.

Bianca wasn't always up to date with the latest current events' crisis that Kat was strongly opposed to, but she was 99% sure that this particular outburst of negative energy was because of a certain tall, dark haired, motorcycle driving bad boy named Patrick Verona.

And if there was anything Bianca was an expert on that she could help Kat with it was boys.

And dating.

And dating boys.

And the rules of dating.

Bianca could thank her numerous viewings of She's All That, Sixteen Candles, Clueless, and re-runs of Beverly Hills 90210 for her great expertise. She also liked to think that her relationship with Joey was going pretty well. They cared about each other a lot, and looked totally gorgeous together.

Treading carefully up the stairs, Bianca made her way to Kat's room, knocking on the door. Hearing an annoyed grunt from the other side of the door, Bianca took this as permission to enter, finding Kat sprawled across her bed face down in a pillow.

"g'way..." Bianca heard, Kat's head still buried from sight.

"Kat..." Bianca said softly. "Is something wrong?" Kat pushed herself up and turned to look at Bianca giving her an incredulous expression.

"No..." she said bitingly, rolling her eyes, "What gave you that impression?"

"Geez Kat..." Bianca started, "I'm sorry for being concerned", the blonde girl got up to leave until stopped by Kat's questioning.

"Do you think I'm ... a bitch?" Kat asked honestly, "do I overreact like all the time, am I like totally unreasonable?" Bianca sat back down on the bed, unsure how to answer the question, but looking on with sympathetic eyes.

"...Did Patrick say something to you?"

"What?" Kat said defensively, eyes looking shifty " No! This is not about Patrick!"

And then...

"Alright, maybe it is, a little."

"Just a little?" Bianca asked, a smirk appearing on her face, then turning serious. "Did you and Patrick have a fight?" Kat sighed and laid back.

"Yes...and I'm beginning to think that I'm a complete basket-case right now."

"Kat, What happened?" Bianca laid down beside Kat on the bed, looking at her with a knowing expression. "Did you guys have sex, or what?" Kat looked at her with a shocked expression, blushing a little, then avoiding her eyes.

"What?...I don't know what you're talking about."

"C'mon Kat. You were walking around all Saturday with a dazed expression on your face, and you didn't make one barb at me at dinner when I started debating whether Damon or Stefan was the hottest brother on Vampire Diaries. By the way, I still stand with my tie decision." Kat snorted and rolled her eyes. "Plus, you shaved your legs."

"What and the only reason to shave my legs is for a man?" Kat retorted indignantly.

"Actually," Bianca replied. "Yes. From your own mouth, actually. I seem to recall a conversation that went into detail about the history of hair removal and women, and how it was all an advertising conspiracy and how there's a complete double standard with men and women like a lot of things, and that I quote 'the only reason women shave their legs is because they are brainwashed from a young age that men will not find them suitable to mate with, and then what will they do with their lives?'" Kat raised an eyebrow.

"Oh." Kat relented. "Did I say that?"

"Yep."

"Okay, so maybe we were going to have sex. But, we were responsible. We got tested, and we were going to use protection. And we were in a monogamous relationship"

"Were?" Bianca inquired.

"Yeah, were. We didn't. We had a huge fight."

"How come?" And then after a short pause. "Was it cause of Josh?" At the mentioning of his name, Kat shuddered. She didn't like hearing his name. Kat looked down at her hands, embarrassed.

"He said he loved me."

"Who? Josh?" Bianca looked confused, but still sympathetic. "I know, and I'm sorry."

"No." Kat looked up wearily at Bianca, gaging her reaction. "Patrick." Bianca's eyes widened, and Kat could see excitement twinging in her eyes as the girl began to talk a mile a minute.

"What? Oh my god! Patrick Verona said he loved you! That's amazing! I mean that's totally unexpected! I mean, he totally doesn't seem the type! I mean he's your type for sure. But I mean, I heard he's a cannibal, and his mother's a Mexican druglord! Not that criminals and cannibals are your type! But I mean I doubt those rumours are true, he totally seems harmless. Well, you know, not of the human flesh persuasion. I mean wow, Oh My God! This is amazing! Isn't this amazing!"

Kat cringed and started to try to calm her sister down.

"No, actually. It's not amazing!" she raised her voice over Bianca who had begun discussing her plans for the sisters' double weddings. "Would you stop? You're being ridiculous!"

And then quietly, as Bianca still talked bubbly about flower arrangements and cufflinks.

"I threw him out." Bianca stopped, and sat back down on the bed and took back her place beside Kat.

"What?"

"I threw him out." Kat said, resigned. And Bianca felt her double wedding dreams bursting at the seams.

"But...why?" Bianca asked quietly. "Don't you love him?"

"He didn't mean it." Kat explained. "Guys never mean it when they are about to get laid."

"Kat..." Bianca said sadly, "Just because Josh didn't mean it, doesn't mean Patrick doesn't mean it. I mean no offense, but not many guys would sit through Dad's birthing video not once, but twice."

Kat just gave Bianca a sad look. Bianca rested her head on her sister's shoulder.

"We hate Josh, but we like Patrick. He cares about you, I know he does. If he says he loves you, he means it."

"What if he doesn't? What if tomorrow he changes his mind?"

"He won't."

"You don't know that Bianca. Do you really think Molly Ringwald and Jake Ryan ended up together forever?" Bianca repressed her hurt at the idea that they didn't, and looked her sister in the eye.

"Does it really matter?" Bianca said. "That moment outside the church at the end of Sixteen Candles is one of the greatest romantic moments of all time." Kat sighed heavily.

"I really screwed up, didn't I?"

"You can fix it." Bianca said matter of factly, and Kat wondered how she could be so sure.

"This morning he was all over some other girl right in front of my locker..."

"Your locker? Sounds like he's trying to make you jealous." Kat scoffed.

"Please." She rolled her eyes.

"Trust me. This is high school dating 101." Bianca proclaimed, and Kat was reminded of Patrick uttering similar words a few months earlier.

"What should I do?"

"Trust me. I have a plan." Bianca smiled to herself, and Kat was quickly regretting asking for Bianca's help.

"No boom-boxes on his lawn, playing 'In Your Eyes'" Kat warned, and Bianca's face lit up.

"Actually that wasn't my idea, but it's totally brill, so I don't know why you're so against it."

Kat rolled over and put her face into the pillow again. It still smelled like Patrick.

"You can learn a lot from teen movies." Bianca insisted, listing off the various wooing techniques showcased in the flicks.

"Jake Ryan was a date rapist." Kat said quickly before burying her face back into Patrick's scent. She knew she was being totally pathetic and un-feminist right now, so she had to get that barb in.

"He is not!" Bianca squealed, hitting the back of Kat's head with another pillow, it bouncing off the bed and onto the floor. "Jake Ryan is the perfect man."

"Just tell me your stupid plan."

Kat didn't want to _love _Patrick Verona. But it was getting harder and harder by the minute.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry no Pat this chapter, but I thought I should get some sisterly bonding in.**

**Please Review! And I will update soon! Ciao!**


	4. Quicksand

**Chapter 4**: Quicksand

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**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! It inspires me to write!**

**Get ready for some Katrick goodness in this chapter! PS I really really really don't know whether to be super excited for tomorrow's finale, or super depressed. Only we can keep Katrick alive after the show's done :(. Damn you ABCFAMILY!**

**Hope you enjoy! :) There is a little bit of coarse language, just heads up.**

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" _You, you moved into my mind again oh_

_You, walking around and free oh_

_Oh I could let you stay_

_But I'm walking on broken ground again_

_Oh, oh when will I learn?_

_All you do is push me back in the dark__"_

**Quicksand, La Roux**

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Patrick felt sick. Physically, and mentally so.

Kat Stratford had burrowed her way inside of his head.

She had a death grip on him, and he couldn't escape it.

And she had no idea. No freaking clue.

He had been kissing that Ashley chick behind the school. He had her pressed up against the wall, and she was totally up for anything. But he hadn't been enjoying it. Not even a bit. He had been kissing her, and all he could think about was how she had blonde hair and not brown, and her lips felt all wrong.

He kept making these cracks at her. Patrick thought of all of the most offensive things he could have possibly said to her, and she did nothing.

He had wanted to see how far he could push this chick. It was completely twisted, but he had desperately wanted her to get angry at him. But she hadn't done anything.

Patrick was sure something was completely wrong with him. Dating Kat Stratford had turned him into a glutton for punishment.

When Patrick turned all misogynistic, Ashley hadn't looked the slightest bit hurt, or offended. And this was the most unsettling part for him.

Even when Patrick had pulled away suddenly, and basically ditched her, she had still told him to call her. He couldn't wrap his head around this girl's lack of self respect.

_I'm sorry._ He had said to her. _You don't deserve this. There's this other girl, and its complicated._

Ashley had looked up at him through her fake eyelashes. _Sorry for what?_ She had responded, cluelessly.

He couldn't take it anymore, so he'd got out of there, hopped on his motorcycle (which he'd managed to steal back from his jackass stepfather), and now he was sitting on the beach pining after Kat Stratford like a little girl.

He would never in a million years predicted he'd say _I love you_ to Kat Stratford, or really any girl.

But Kat Stratford wasn't just any girl. She was quicksand. Fucking quicksand.

He hadn't known he had been sucked in until it was too late. And he was in far too deep to go back.

* * *

"We need to talk"

On Wednesday, Kat was standing at her locker talking to this girl Amy from her History class, when a certain deep-voiced manboy had demanded her attention.

To say she had been shocked, would have been an understatement. She hadn't expected this. This wasn't part of the plan.

I mean, okay, she hadn't really put the plan in motion yet, and well okay, let's face it, she had been completely avoiding thinking about the plan all day.

It had dawned her that when it came to the Patrick Verona situation she was still completely and utterly terrified.

"Patrick..." she had said breathily, mouth hanging open.

"Um, I'll get you those notes, tomorrow, okay Kat?" Amy had promised, taking Patrick's interruption as her cue to excuse herself.

Kat had mumbled a goodbye as the girl walked off, still facing the boy in the leather jacket in front of her.

"Okay." Kat managed to say, and it became painfully obvious that neither of them knew how to begin this conversation.

After what seemed like forever staring at each other tensely,

"Where's that blond chick? Ashlynn, Astrid?" Kat squeaked out, eyes darting around. She realized immediately that was the worst starting comment she could have made.

"Seriously, Kat?" Patrick sighed heavily. "Can we not do _that_?" Patrick gestured, flicking his hands in the air.

Kat crossed her arms in front of her body, and looked down.

"I don't..." she began and then trailed off.

Patrick clenched his jaw, looked around at the busy hallway, and then pulled Kat into the janitor's closet.

"What are you doing?" She protested, confused, as he hit the light switch and closed the door behind them.

"I didn't want an audience." He said quietly in his low timbre, looking into her eyes. "Look, Kat, I've been really trying to understand what happened Saturday, and I really can't figure it out. So maybe if you could explain it to me, this would go a little better." Kat bit her lip and looked slightly guilty.

"I don't know if I can. I can't explain it to myself."

Patrick took in this response with a deep breath.

"I feel like maybe you took what I said the wrong way..."

"The wrong way!" Kat's face hardened, and an expression of outrage lined it.

"Yes." Patrick said, consciously trying not to raise his voice.

This is when Kat took an unusual interest in the stacks of erasers around them, turning her back to Patrick so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye.

_Why did he have to look like that? With that hair, and those eyes, and that voice? _

Kat closed her eyes when he spoke.

"Kat...", the way he said her name was intoxicating. "When I said...what I said..."

"You didn't mean it." Kat finished for him. "It was just the heat of the moment, believe me I get it" Kat continued haughtily. "But I'm not somebody you can just manipulate like that, okay?"

"No!" Patrick _did_ raise his voice this time. "What...?" Patrick struggled to find his words. "Seriously! You are the most insane chick I have ever met!"

Kat turned around in outrage. "Really!"

"Yes! What could possibly make you think that I was manipulating you? I mean come on, Kat, do you think I was just saying that to get in your pants? Because I'm pretty sure I was getting in them anyway!" Patrick laughed humourlessly. "But I guess that was all a part of my master plan, right? Seduce you, and then to make sure it's a sure thing, tell you _I love you_." Patrick finished sarcastically, on his last patience. "Chicks love that sort of thing. It gets them hot."

Kat shook her head, fuming.

"I can't believe you. I...I have no words. This was a mistake" She said pursing her lips, suddenly looking very hurt.

"What was a mistake?" Patrick said quieter, sensing he had touched a nerve. But, hey, that's what he had wanted to do.

"This conversation. This relationship. Everything!" Kat yelled at the top of her lungs gesturing wildly.

"Well, I'm glad we have that settled then, so I can get on with my fucking life!" Patrick countered, neither of them moving to leave, both staring each other down.

"Great, Excellent. So can I! See you around!" Kat said shrugging her shoulders, and gently pushing Patrick out of the way so she could leave.

But instead of moving out of the way, Kat found herself pushed up against the door, Patrick's lips crushing down on hers, the weight of his body pressed up against her frame, mouths duelling for control.

"God, you are so fucking hot when you're pissed." Patrick had managed to breath in between kisses.

"Shut up" Kat had also managed pushing him towards the opposite wall.

The two had been so busy arguing that neither had noticed the bell ring for next period, and only pulled apart when the door opened loudly.

Kat's shirt was slightly unbuttoned, Patrick's jacket and her sweater discarded on the floor, both teens' hair mussed, lips swollen.

"Mr. Verona," a female voice said, unimpressed. "What a surprise, maybe you and your friend would like to come with me to the principal's office?"

Kat who had hid her face in embarrassment (_This was totally unbecoming of a future Brown graduate.), _finally turned around to see Mrs. Tharp standing in the doorway. Staring wide eyed she exchanged a look with Patrick, who had picked up and passed her sweater to her, Mrs. Tharp shared an awkward look.

"Kat Stratford..." She managed. "Oh dear..." she laughed awkwardly. "C'mon kids," Her face turned a bit stern, but she was blushing. "Recess is over."

Only Kat would get caught skipping class and making out with Patrick Verona in the janitor's closet by her dad's new girlfriend.

This was not how she envisioned her day going.

But then again, Patrick Verona was like quicksand. And she was in far too deep to go back.

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**A/N: Ohh these crazy kids! They haven't really solved anything, have they? Just cut a little bit of that sexual tension. Stay tuned for more on Kat's Mr. Ohio issues, Walter's reaction to Katrick's little janitor's closet excursion, and What exactly was Bianca's plan? **

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! :)**


	5. I Like it Dysfunctional

**Chapter 5**: I Like it Dysfunctional

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**A/N: I'm pretty sure I cried knowing we'll never find out what happens after that cliffhanger. I am not impressed with ABCFAMILY right now.**

**But I'm soooo glad Katrick made up before the show ended ! :)**

**I do intend on finishing this story so please stay tuned! I'm not sure how many more chapters it will have at the moment I'm just playing it by ear but I have an idea of where I wanna go with it.**

**THANKS FOR READING AND REVIEWING! And long live KATRICK! **

**P.S. When I wrote the last chapter I couldn't remember what university it was Kat wanted to go to so I said Stanford instead of Brown. Oops. Oh well. It's fixed now. :)**

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"I think you're overreacting"

Walter Stratford was sure his eldest daughter was trying to give him an aneurysm.

"Really?" Walter looked at Kat incredulously, "What part of me getting a call from Darlene-er Miss Tharp, your _guidance counselor_, telling me you and that deep-voiced man-boy were caught doing ...nefarious things in the janitor's closet during 4th period instead of attending class am I overreacting to, Katarina?" Kat looked nervously at her father and then away.

"Nefarious?" She scoffed. "I wouldn't use the word nefarious... that's a complete exaggeration and misappropriation of the word, and yes I did miss the first half of my English class, but you know I would never miss class intentionally..."

Walter looked as if a vein would burst from his forehead.

"I think that's the perfect word—because my wicked daughter is trying to kill me. I- I don't like this. I don't like this AT ALL!"

"Dad—I think you just need to calm down. Patrick and I – we're not together, I mean it's over – So, you don't have to worry about this, really." Walter's face turned from a grimace and his eyebrows raised.

"Oh." he said hesitantly. "Oh, Kat. I'm sorry." He forced a sympathetic look on his face, then turning around, broke into a huge grin 'Yes', he mouthed. "What happened?" He tried not to sound too happy.

Kat's eyes shifted around the room. " Nothing." she said, nervously. "It just...didn't work out." She gathered her books from the kitchen table, and started to go upstairs. "I'm gonna go do my Calculus homework..."

Walter grinned from ear to ear. He didn't want to get his hopes up, and he would hold off on his "no-more mr- man boy" song and dance number for now, but if he kept his fingers crossed maybe he wouldn't have to see that deep voiced miscreant man-handling his daughter again.

He began to whistle. What? Whistling doesn't count.

* * *

Kat sighed deeply as she climbed the stairs to her room.

She felt she had somewhat successfully defended herself against the tornado that was her father, after Patrick and her had been caught in the janitor's closet at school, but she wasn't sure she had told the whole truth.

Were Patrick and her really over? For good? They couldn't have one simple conversation before tearing each other's throats out.

And then tearing each other's clothes off.

Kat's eyes widened at the thought, and she laughed a little to herself.

Then she quieted herself.

This was not a time to laugh. This was a time to move on from Patrick Verona.

Too bad it was him she found rummaging through her record collection when she entered her room.

"Ugh..." she let out, nervously checking the hallway, before shutting her door and locking it. "This whole _Twilight_-y 'I break into your room at night' thing is totally not attractive anymore, Patrick..."

He looked up her and smirked.

"So it was attractive at one point?" Then looking down at her records again, "You saw that movie?" he asked nonchalantly.

Kat grimaced.

"What? Bianca made me." Kat threw her bag on the floor and flopped down on her bed. "I found it completely misogynistic. And the whole 'vampire baseball' thing was ridiculous!"

Patrick let out a deep chuckle, and turned to look at Kat who was massaging her temples with her eyes closed.

"Of course, Bianca is _Team Edward_..." She said mockingly, internally cringing. That was when she felt how dangerously close Patrick had gotten.

Kat opened her eyes to find him hovering over her with a wicked grin on his face. She was finding it hard to breathe.

"Um, Patrick...?" She whispered, then he lowered his lips on to hers, tangling his hands into her hair.

Kat responded enthusiastically. I mean, she was only human, right? And a teenager. And her hormones were running wild. And Patrick Verona had a sexy voice and sexy hair, and she spent way too much time, in between plans to save the world, thinking about making out with him.

And lately, what it would be like to sleep with him.

Then she realized how dysfunctional they were being.

"Patrick", she managed breathily, between kisses. "_Patrick_...", she pushed him off her, and stood up quickly taking deep breaths. He just looked up at her intensely. She could tell he was annoyed.

"This is ridiculous." Kat made her way to her window, to take in some fresh air. "We need to talk."

Patrick let a low growl, and Kat knew she shouldn't be as turned on by it as she was.

"Didn't we already try that?"

"Well..." She shrugged and turned around to look at him. "Maybe we should try it again."

"Are you sure?" He asked with a ghost of a smirk on his lips, "Sounds dangerous."

Kat took a deep breath and returned to the bed to sit down next to him.

"Here's the deal, Patrick..." she began, "we don't make any sense."

Any trace of a smirk disappeared from the boy's face as the words left Kat's mouth.

"So, we're back to this, huh?" His voice was harsh, and unimpressed. He stood up. "When are you going to stop this? I mean I thought I was emotionally challenged, but you are one giant piece of work."

Kat huffed, and began to glare at him.

"Gee, thanks." She sighed and continued. "Look, what I'm saying is, we can't go 5 seconds, let alone 5 minutes alone with each other without us getting into a fight. You want proof, it's right here with you in this room as we speak"

Patrick eyed her, jaw clenching.

"It's not my fault that you are completely impossible to get along with." He shook his head in disbelief. "Everything is fine until you decide this is all one big conspiracy and I'm out to get you."

"Oh, and you're so perfect? I had to stalk you to get you to tell me anything about yourself." Kat took a sharp intake of breath. "I mean, when I really think about it, I don't even really know you!"

Patrick's voice grew quiet. "Be careful what you say here, Kat."

"Me! You need to be careful what you say? You don't tell me anything! And what you do tell me is usually offensive! And _I've_ told you WAY too much!" she stood up, grabbed her schoolbag and pulled a book out.

"What are you doing?" He barely spoke, and then louder "What are you doing!" Patrick yanked the book out of her hand.

"Hey!" She protested, "I need to read that for English tomorrow. I missed a really important lecture on it because of you!"

Patrick couldn't help but laugh at the incredulousness of the situation. But his laugh just came out sounding like a half- laugh, part-scoff, part growl.

A noise which apparently channeled Kat's inner libido because she was on him in less than ten seconds flat and they resumed their make-out session on her bed.

This was crazy.

When Kat pulled away again, he thought he might explode. In more ways than one.

This time, she just looked down at him through a curtain of hair and said:

"Do you know how unhealthy this all is?"

"To be crazy for a chick that hates me?" He smirked. "Yeah."

Kat continued her intense look, and swallowed.

"I don't hate you." she said softly, and he was sure he had never seen her look more vulnerable.

"Well you just attacked me, so...I guess I knew that." He chuckled. Kat rolled her eyes. "You know, how do I know you're not just using _me _for my body?" He eyed her curiously, "Never mind," He shrugged. "I don't care."

Then he pulled her into a kiss which she gladly reciprocated.

* * *

Walter Stratford was sure he was hearing voices.

Deep-voiced voices. One in particular.

And they were coming from his daughter's bedroom.

Storming up the stairs, and bursting through the door, he wasn't sure if he was relieved or worried when he found Kat relaxing, alone, on her bed reading a book for school.

She looked up at him and gave a smile.

"Hey Dad, what's going on?"

Walter looked at her suspiciously and then around the room.

He walked cautiously to the closet, and pulled the door open to find - nothing. But clothes, of course.

Then, despite strange looks from Kat he pulled up the comforter to check under the bed. Nothing under there. Maybe some dust.

After thoroughly checking the room from head to toe, even checking Bianca and Kat's shared bathroom, and Kat's hope chest which he was pretty sure would only fit a person if that person was a contortionist, Walter conceded to the fact that he must have been hallucinating that motorcycle delinquent's voice because of how worried he was that Kat would take him back.

Giving one last quick glance around the room, he shut the door behind himself, making his way to the kitchen to call Darlene.

* * *

Kat let out a sigh of relief when her father left the room.

She glanced at the window as Patrick climbed back in, a huge look of disbelief on his face.

"Your father is crazier than I thought."

"Really?" she grinned. "The childbirth videos and the fact that he asked you for references was not crazy enough for you?"

He shrugged.

"I'm surprised he didn't check the roof..."

Kat pursed her lips. "You're lucky he didn't check the roof."

Patrick sat down in front of her on the bed, glanced down and looked back up with a strange knowing smirk on his face.

"You're holding that book upside down."

_Shit._

She hoped her Dad hadn't noticed.

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**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE :) Katrick still have to talk about the 'I Love You' thing but at least they admit they don't hate each other.**


	6. I'm Not Over

**Chapter 6: I'm Not Over**

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**A/N: Thanks for the fantastic reviews!**

**So I think I've found a way to combine canon of the show/ the cliffhanger on the season finale to continue this story. It will still be a little AU since some different events have happened in my story and some other ones have happened in the show, but get ready for an exciting ride! Hopefully you will keep reading! :)**

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"I once had a grip on everything

It feels better to let go

I'm not over

I'm not over you just yet

Cannot hide it

You're not that easy to forget

I'm not over"

I'm Not Over, Carolina Liar

"Was that Patrick Verona I saw climbing down our trellis 5 minutes ago?" Bianca asked, grinning mischievously ear to ear. Bianca sat down at the dining room table where Kat was diligently working on her presidential posters.

"Bianca!" Kat whispered through clenched teeth, "Keep your voice down!" Kat's gaze darted around, looking for her father.

"Relax." Bianca said calmly, "Dad left for an emergency c-section or something..." Kat visibly relaxed, and continued to write "Vote For Kat Stratford" on her poster.

"You're lucky, though," Bianca continued, "5 minutes earlier and Dad would have seen him." Bianca's voice was sing songy as she started on a new poster for Kat. Noticing, Kat sighed hesitantly.

"Thanks." she said softly, looking at Bianca.

"No problem," Bianca chirped, glancing at Kat's work, "It looks like you could use some help."

Kat's gave her a look and rolled her eyes.

"So what made you decide to run for president, anyway?"

"Well..." Kat began, trying to come up with a reason besides, '_I can't let Blank win'_. "All people care about at this school is prom and cheerleading, and sexy carwashes..."

Bianca gave her look that asked Kat if she forgot who she was talking to.

"Sorry..." Kat sighed, "I just mean that there a lot more important things than Brangelina or who Tiger Woods is banging that we should be concerned about...especially as the future leaders of the world!"

"I don't know if we have many future leaders, Kat..." Bianca laughed, "Yesterday, Jenn Peters told me that she thought Christiane Amanpour was a supermodel..." Kat snorted and smiled at her sister.

"You know, I don't give you credit, Bianca..." She stood up and examined her poster. "You may be a cheerleader, and you may be way too concerned with popularity, but" Kat took a breath, and nodded, "you're still way smarter than I give you credit for."

Bianca smiled.

"Gee thanks Kat." she laughed, "I'm glad you don't think I'm a total idiot." She rolled her eyes and continued the poster. Kat sat down again.

"Well you are _my_ sister," she said jokingly, and then more serious, "I'm sorry that sometimes I don't appreciate you."

"Yeah, well we can both be pretty mean to each other." Bianca conceded, smiling at Kat. Kat saw her poster.

" Holy crap!" Kat exclaimed, "you just did that? That's really good." Bianca beamed.

"Why, thank you, Katarina." She stood up and they both glanced at Kat's.

"Now mine just looks sad." Bianca stood up and grabbed her book bag.

"I need to make posters too!" She exclaimed. Kat looked curious.

"For what?"

"The cheerleaders are having a sexy carwash." She said looking at Kat, awaiting a sarcastic barb.

Kat just let out a "ha!" and sat down.

"Think you could help me with mine too?"

* * *

"So what is the deal?" Bianca asked finally, as she worked on the posters and Kat tried to copy Bianca's design.

"With what?" Kat asked, not looking up."

"Patrick! silly..." she laughed, "Is everything okay again? Did my plan work?" Kat sighed, unsure of how to answer.

"Umm... I didn't really use your plan..." Kat said quietly, and Bianca frowned.

"Well, I'm hurt." she pouted, "But as long as you guys are alright now."

"Umm..." Kat began, "I don't really know if we are."

"What?" Bianca exclaimed, stopping her work to look at Kat. "What do you mean? He keeps climbing out of your window...with his clothes disheveled, and...I don't understand what the problem is."

"Just because we keep making out in my room with some clothes not on, does not mean that we are alright." Kat looked down, ignoring Bianca's incredulous stare.

"God, Kat...you are so messed up." Kat slammed down her marker and faced Bianca.

"I am not." Annoyance lined her face. "I'm just...confused." Bianca gave her a look.

"What like sexually confused?" She said hesitantly.

"No!" Kat huffed, leaning back in her chair, and crossing her arms, "About Patrick...about everything."

"What is there to be confused about? You like him, he loves you. You can't keep your hands off of each other, he looks amazing in his tight white t's..." Bianca grinned from ear to ear.

"Everytime we get together, we can't stop fighting."

"well Kat..." Bianca said, knowing Kat might get upset. "You're kind of impossible to get along with sometimes."

"What!" Kat squeaked, clenching her jaw and looking away, "Why does everybody keep saying that?"

"There's no problem here Kat. Patrick loves your crazy." Bianca let out a laugh. "You're overthinking. Just stop."

After some silent contemplation, Kat continued her work.

"Stop thinking..." she said quietly to herself. "I guess I could try that."

* * *

Kat felt like she'd been punched in the gut.

Just because most of the students at Padua High cared too much about celebrity gossip and tanning beds didn't mean she wanted them all to hate her. And when she'd heard her own words played back to her, she'd finally realized how harsh she was. Was that really how she sounded? Did she sound that way all the time? Like a self important bitch? Like she thought she was better than everyone else?

When she left the courtyard to a chorus of booing and slurs she thought she probably deserved it. And when Blank had told her he hadn't done it, switched the tapes, she almost didn't care either way.

Walking to her car to find it covered in food and everyone staring had been the last straw. Kat was supposed to be strong. Especially at school. But lately all she did was cry over Patrick Verona, and now she was about to cry because the kids at school hated her. She felt pathetic. And she felt like an asshole.

That's when she saw him.

And it was like it was exactly what she had needed at the moment, only she hadn't known that was exactly what she needed, until it had happened. And then he was walking over to her and holding her, and everything felt okay, and it didn't matter now that she was a social pariah and that her car desperately needed to be cleaned, and that Blank was definitely going to win Class President.

It only mattered that Patrick didn't hate her.

It only mattered that Patrick had voted for her, even though he had told her he didn't care about these stupid elections.

It only mattered that he was here, and she was here, and he cared. He really cared.

She didn't think about those other things anymore. Those other things didn't matter.

"It looks like you need a ride home" he had said lowly, and his voice was all she could hear, even though kids were walking by laughing and pointing at her poor car.

She had nodded and given him a small smile and they had got on his bike and drove to her house, and she was surprised how not bad she felt. Ten minutes ago she had been in her worst nightmare, but riding on the back of Patrick's bike, wind whipping through them, her body up against his, his body heat warming her, she felt fine. She felt perfect.

* * *

Her dad wasn't home. He wasn't supposed to be home until the next day. He was off delivering babies, having a hand in bringing new life into the world.

So when she looked into Patrick's eyes when they were alone in her room and he had asked her if she was okay, and then kissed her softly on her lips while they were sitting on her bed, she knew that there was no other way the night could go.

"Patrick..." she had whispered, "I'm great. Better than great." He had smiled and kissed her again, and she couldn't believe how good it felt. Her body was on fire. But all those voices, all those voices that usually muddled her thoughts, and filled up her head with doubt and anger and hurt, well they were silent.

When he'd said it again. Those three words. A she felt her whole body hum.

She was far from thinking about Josh at the time, but later she would recall that sex with him had been awkward and painful, and those voices had filled her up with tension and emotional duress.

Sex with Patrick Verona had been something else entirely.

When they were near to the edge, she didn't even think about saying it. It just came out as naturally as breathing.

_I love you._

Nothing could have felt more right. Nothing else ever would.

* * *

He was staring at her and he felt like he was in a haze. Like there was a glow in the room.

To tell you the truth, he felt like he was high.

He was in Kat Stratford's bed...naked. And she was naked. And there was just this sheet covering them. And they were staring at each other. And she had said those words. Breathed them, actually. And he realized that that was the one thing in the world he'd been waiting to hear, only he didn't know that that was the one thing he'd been waiting to hear until she had said it.

Until her face looked like it had and she had said his name over and over.

_Patrick_ had never sounded so good on anyone else's lips.

"Well, that was fun..." he had grinned in his euphoria and Kat had made a noise to brush it off and giggled. Actually giggled. "This is a new record for us, we haven't got in one single fight..."

"You see this is what the world needs, more sex, less war..." Kat had joked, and he felt warmth rising through his body.

"Now if that had been your campaign slogan, you would have won." She had laughed again, and he had to kiss her.

When Kat had sat up he was almost worried, he didn't want them to argue, he didn't want this to end. Ever.

"Can I ask you a favour?" She had asked softly, and his facial expression softened. "Don't break my heart, okay?" All he could do was nod.

"Okay." Patrick looked at the girl in front of him and sighed. "Can I ask you a favour?"

Kat grinned at him and said "What is it?".

That's when Dr. Stratford had come barrelling in, saying something about a hug, but Patrick could barely catch it before Kat's father's gaze hit them, and Patrick realized how not clothed Kat and he were, and why wasn't the door locked, and why wasn't he leaving he was just standing there?

"I'm not leaving." Dr. Stratford had said, and Patrick was pretty sure he would never live to see another day, which he was really bummed about because he had tickets to a concert next week, and he thought maybe Kat might want to go and even if he did live, he would probably never see her again.

Or his balls would be chopped off.

Downstairs, Bianca sat freaking out about Joey's on screen kiss, while Cameron and Dawn looked on sympathetically, before they heard the commotion coming from upstairs.

Eerily, Dr. Stratford was thinking the same thing as Patrick covered his face with a pillow.

Hard to be a deep voiced man boy without any testicles.

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**A/N: Next time I continue the cliffhanger! And the story will continue from there! I've come to the rescue, 10 Things Fans! Please keep reading :) AND REVIEW!**


	7. The Aftermath

**Chapter 7:** The Aftermath

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**A/N: So Sorry for the Wait! Hope you enjoy this juicy chapter to make up for it! The shit has hitteth the fan..eth.**

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"Dad, could you maybe give us a minute..." Kat struggled, "to put on some clothes...", her voice was strained, cheeks were bright red and she was avoiding all eye contact.

Walter Stratford cringed, and he felt a vein twitching in his forehead. He reluctantly turned around.

"You have one minute." he grumbled, still standing with his back turned in the doorway.

The two teens scrambled to their feet and rushed to put some clothes.

"Patrick..." Kat whispered, frantically, as she started to pull on some pants, "I'm so so sorry, I'm so sorry, he wasn't supposed to be home yet!" Patrick said nothing, and reached around her to grab his shirt.

"30 seconds!" Walter bellowed.

Kat frantically looked around her room. "Where is my shirt? I can't find my shirt!"

Patrick looked at her like she was crazy. "We're in your bedroom...just find another one."

Kat grabbed a t-shirt from her drawer, and gave Patrick another apologetic look and Patrick brushed her hair out of her eyes. "This was nice."

Walter turned around ominously, arms crossed across his chest.

"...before my dad killed you." she mumbled, bracing herself for the worst.

* * *

Downstairs, Bianca, Cameron, and Dawn could hear the not-so muffled sounds of yelling.

"Dawn!" Cameron agitated from the couch, "Get back here!"

"Dad! You don't even own a gun!" Kat's distinctive voice echoed down the stairs. "And that would be really messy!"

"Cameron, what do you think is happening?" Dawn chirped excitedly. She had positioned herself at the bottom of the stairs to listen.

"It's none of our business, Dawn!" Cameron's voice practically whined in order to get Dawn to come back to the couch. Cameron glanced at Bianca who sat beside him in her own little world.

"Are you okay?" Cameron asked her softly, but Bianca didn't look up. Tears started to slip from her eyes. Cameron put a hand on her shoulder.

"Oww!" A deep male voice called out from upstairs, and Cameron jerked his head towards Dawn.

"That sounded like..." he began, and Dawn grinned in amusement.

"Bianca!" She skipped towards the couch to her best friend. "Your sister has a boy in her room! And I think your dad is killing him!"

* * *

"Oww!" Patrick exclaimed as Walter slapped him on the side of the head.

"Dad!" Kat yelled, "That was completely uncalled for!" And Walter just looked indignant.

"Really! He just asked me to tell him a vagina joke after I found him in bed with my daughter!" Walter shuddered.

"Okay, so maybe that was the wrong thing to say..." Kat conceded, swatting Patrick, "But violence is not the answer here!"

"Well, I'm at a loss as to find an answer, Katarina!" Walter bit out, seething in rage.

Then, "Okay, come with me!" He grabbed Patrick's arm and dragged him down the stairs.

Kat followed waving her arms wildly, "What are you doing!"

Walter lead him to the couch where Cameron, Dawn. and Bianca sat. "You three, keep an eye on him!"

He ordered and gave Patrick one last withering glare. "Kat come here." Walter beckoned, and Kat followed reluctantly, glancing back and locking eyes with Patrick.

"Hey..." Cameron began awkwardly, "What's up, man?"

Patrick just sighed deeply, rolled his eyes, and leaned his head up against the wall.

* * *

Kat was not looking forward to this conversation. She couldn't remember ever feeling more uncomfortable than how she was feeling right now.

"Kat." Walter called, sitting at the Kitchen table, and Kat took a seat opposite him.

"Dad," she began, "Before you say anything, I would like you to know that your years of lecturing on the consequences of teenage sex have not fallen on deaf ears. Patrick and I used protection, and we made appointments at the clinic and we were tested. Both of us came back completely clean, and we both felt that we were responsible enough and mature enough to handle the experience, so..."

Walter stopped her. "But you're not mature enough." Kat sighed. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have caught you sneaking around when your father wasn't home." He ran his hands over his face. "I don't get it. What happened to "I don't even know this guy, Dad" ?"

Kat felt strange. She felt guilty. Her dad looked so sad.

"That was before, Dad..."

"What? And now you _do_ know him?" Kat swallowed.

"Yeah, well...I mean," She looked her dad in the eye, "I care about him, Dad." Kat sucked in a breath.

Walter looked like he wasn't expecting that. He leaned back in his chair and looked down.

"Does he care about you?" Walter asked seriously.

"I had a really bad day today..." Kat answered, "My stupid mouth got me in trouble, again. And he was there for me..."

Walter sighed as he felt his little girl slipping away.

* * *

Kat left the kitchen, and walked slowly towards Patrick. She was at a loss as to what to say.

"I asked him to go easy on you." She offered, softly and then chuckled, "Don't know if he'll listen."

Patrick looked at her and managed a small smile. The look alone was enough for Kat to know he wasn't mad at her for the situation.

Patrick hesitantly entered the kitchen and Kat turned to look at her sister and her two friends who were intently watching an episode of What Not to Wear.

Bianca looked up sympathetically, "I'm so so sorry, Kat." She began, "I had no idea or I wouldn't have sent Dad up there!" Kat shrugged and shook her head.

"It's fine. You didn't know." Kat noticed how sad Bianca looked. "What's wrong?"

Dawn stepped in to answer. "We were watching the Biggest Poser and Joey was on and he kissed that _slore _with the baby...in the hot tub!"

"Oh, Bianca..." Kat began, looking sadly at her sister, "I'm so sorry...but you know those reality shows aren't exactly 'reality' if you know what I mean. I'd put that kiss under 'questionable'."

Bianca huffed. "He still kissed her, Kat." Kat pursed her lips sympathetically, as Cameron and Dawn got up from the couch.

"Um...we're going to go Bianca." Cameron started towards the door.

"Yeah, if you need to talk, just call me ok, B?" Dawn and Cameron each gave her a hug and headed out.

Kat sat beside her sister and put an arm around her.

"If it makes you feel any better, my boyfriend's probably going to want to kiss someone else, _anyone_ else, after Dad gets through with him."

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, Kat and Bianca finally looked up from the couch to see Patrick and Walter entering the living room.

"Girls..." Walter greeted them, standing in front of the television, Patrick trailing behind him.

He glanced down at Bianca and saw her red, puffy eyes. "Bianca, what's wrong?" He asked, concerned. "Why are you crying?"

"Joey kissed some girl on The Biggest Poser." Kat explained, and Bianca glared at her.

"Kat!" She protested.

Walter almost looked happy, but he tried to hide his excitement. "I'm so sorry, honey." He said, giving her a hug. "Tell you what? I'll let you have another one of your dinner party things, and you can invite all of your cheerleader friends..." He tried to cheer Bianca up, but it made her frown grow deeper. This just reminded Bianca of how she wasn't a cheerleader anymore. Her life was falling apart.

Kat made a face. "How come Bianca gets two dinner parties and when I wanted to hold that Eat Green conference last month, you said no?"

Walter smiled at her. "Bianca's the good daughter." Kat scoffed. She looked up at Patrick and he smirked at her.

"Look, I have talked to Patrick, and you'll be happy to know, that he still has all of his limbs attached," Walter started, "which took a lot of self control, I might add."

Kat stood up. "Thank you, Dad. Now, it's time for him to be leaving." She went to take Patrick to the door.

"Stop." Walter ordered in a sing- songy voice, "Turn around", Kat obeyed, Patrick looking a little lost. "I've actually come up with the perfect way to make sure that what happened today never happens again. It also helps out Mr. Deep Voice too."

Kat took a deep breath and eyed her father curiously, looking a little confused.

"Patrick's going to live here for awhile, on the couch, and with a few conditions..."

She looked up to find Patrick's expression gaging her reaction.

Where were the cameras? Were Punk'd references still culturally relevant?

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**A/N: ****Muhahaha...another cliffhanger. Only I, unlike ABCFamily promise to continue it!**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	8. Love Apparently Does Live Here

**Chapter 8: **Love, Apparently, _Does_ Live Here Now.

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**A/N: I am soo sorry for the wait. I think I wrote this chapter about three times. I didn't realize how hard it would be to follow up on that cliffhanger! (And I wanted it to be actually somewhat good, haha)**

**I have to thank you all sooo sooo much for reviewing, you've been so awesome.**

**(Especially the anonymous reviewer who gave me a super long paragraph of constructive criticism and suggestions – Thanks! You actually helped me out soo much.)**

**I have to warn you, although I'm trying to continue the series, I know I would never write a better continuation than the writers on the show would have if they had been able to.**

**But I'm trying my best. And although it may be missing some of the snappy humour from the series I am trying to inject the right amount of both the funny and the dramatic.**

**Please don't hate me, and feel free to shoot me any ideas you have!**

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Kat couldn't sleep.

She had tried, believe me, but she just kept tossing and turning. Glancing at the clock she noticed the time. 3:14 in the morning. Good thing tomorrow was Saturday.

It's not that she wasn't tired, it's just that there were a multitude of factors keeping her from getting her rest.

First of all, how was she expected to sleep when Patrick Verona, the boy with which she had finally consummated their relationship and whom she had finally let inside _(Both figuratively and literally_, Patrick would say. And she would act disgusted and hit him square in the chest.) was sleeping right downstairs on their living room couch?

Also, it may have been very juvenile of her, but she usually couldn't sleep unless her door was shut, and right now she didn't have a door. Her father had removed it from its hinges and carried it down to the garage.

Kat turned onto her side, and listened to the horrendously loud sound of her father snoring outside her door. The elder Stratford had decided to station himself outside Kat's bedroom on a dining room chair and was leaning up against the wall, mouth hanging open, clearly having trouble breathing properly in his sleep.

_Yeah, this was a little extreme. _I mean, sleeping up against the hallway wall could not be very comfortable. Also, did he really think she would risk sleeping with Patrick Verona after the night's events?

I mean, she totally wanted to do it again. More than she would have thought she would. She was a normal, hot-blooded, heterosexual young woman, and Patrick Verona was -well it wasn't hard to guess what effect he had on her if you observed how her breath had hitched every time he would take off his shirt in front of her (which, now that you mention was weird that he did so often).

The first time she'd heard Patrick's voice she wasn't expecting the rich baritone that had come out. Patrick's voice was like everything about him- it made her feel out of control. When he spoke she didn't just hear it – she felt it in her bones, like when you turn the speakers up and you can feel the vibrations on the floor below you.

Yes, that was the young man who was currently sleeping a floor below her- almost directly below her- and that thought was what most kept her from drifting off.

* * *

"_Forgive me..." Kat looked at her father dumbfounded, "but I'm a little confused."_

_Kat looked at Patrick as if to say 'Really, is this a good idea?', when Walter continued._

"_Oh, I still don't like him." Walter commented sternly, looking at Kat who had approached him and was trying to whisper to him discretely. "And he needs a haircut. But, I figure if he lives here I can keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't corrupt you and convince you to join some hippie cult to drink the kool-aid."_

_Kat pulled Patrick aside and whispered at him, "Does this have to do with the favour you were going to ask me? How the hell did you get my father to agree to this?"_

_Before Patrick could answer Walter cut in. "I'm taking off your door, Katarina." Patrick gave them a strange look. "And you're grounded. Until you are 80. Preferably by then you'll be so old that romance will consist of a nice afternoon stroll outside the old folks home."_

"_I don't know, Dad." Bianca added, "They have drugs for old people now, you know. She gestured to her lady parts, "to make sure everything still works down there...and 80 is the new 30...haven't you seen Madonna?" She laughed and smirked devilishly as Walter's face reached a new level of horrified._

"_Bianca!" Kat scolded her, and Bianca just shrugged._

"_Sorry, Kat. This is so entertaining I almost feel better about Joey." Then her expression turned morose again. "Almost." Bianca sank back into the couch cushions._

_Walter regained some composure and looked between the two guilty looking teenagers standing in front of him. "This one-" he gestured at Patrick. " is to stay downstairs all night at all times, or not only will he have no place to live, but he'll be missing several key parts of his body if he gets out of here alive." Walter looked at Patrick with a threatening look, "But I think I made that clear to him."_

_

* * *

_

Kat sat up in bed in frustration and swung her legs around the side of her bed.

She was dying of curiosity. I know, I know. _Curiosity killed the Kat._ Patrick's voice rang in her head.

This 'letting Patrick live at their house' thing was so uncharacteristic of her father that she was a little worried she might have broke him. Her father, that is.

Reaching for the sweatshirt draped over her desk chair, she crept quietly across her room towards her open doorway. Peeking around the corner, she spotted her father, still sound asleep, breaths wheezing in and out.

Kat took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she tried to sneak past her father.

"Who's deep voiced, now?" The slurred mumble of her father startled her, and she slowly opened her eyes, bracing herself for the worst.

Nothing. He had turned in his sleep, hand hanging limply at his side, and Kat sighed with relief. Being careful not to creak the stairs to much on her way down, Kat finally made her way to the living room.

Silence. (Except for the wheezing upstairs) Patrick didn't snore. (Just sleepwalked. And sleep-ate.) Kat found herself turning to mush and had a fleeting thought that she might have to give up her feminist credentials. Patrick looked so peaceful sleeping there. And vulnerable. More vulnerable than she had ever seen him before. As cheesy as it sounded, she just wanted to take care of him.

_God, she was in trouble._

Kat crouched in front of him on the couch. As much as she hated it, she had to wake him up. "Patrick" she whispered softly, gently shaking his arm. "Patrick..." He shifted in his sleep.

"Patrick!" She whispered directly into his ear and he awoke with a jolt, opening his eyes quickly.

"Kat." It came out garbled, he was evidently still half asleep. This fact was particularly clear to her when he pulled her into a long and hot kiss. She tried her best to stifle the moan that threatened to come out.

Then he pulled away quickly, and it was as if all the warmth in her body was ripped away from her.

"Wait..." he whispered, sitting up, "Wait. What are we doing? What are you doing down here?"

"Patrick." She said his name again. "We need to talk." He looked nervously in the direction of the stairs.

"Kat...you shouldn't be down here." he sighed, but then pulled her up on to the couch beside him.

"Relax. My dad's passed out in the hallway." She brushed his worry off, "Look, I need to know what's going on. This is completely insane. I mean it was nice and all for my dad to let you stay here, but I'm really worried. He was not as angry as he should have been to find us all couple-y together earlier tonight. I mean, you don't know my father as well as I do. He used to make me and Bianca wear a fake pregnant belly around the house, to realize 'the weight of our decisions'" Then she looked at Patrick with her own worried expression. "When I deliberately crashed my car into Chastity Church's, I had to wheel around the house in a _wheelchair_." She lowered her eyes at him and bit her lip.

"Kat..." He seemed to be at a loss for words.

"I don't know what he's planning, but it can't be good." Kat put a hand on Patrick's shoulder. "Do you know he calls you the deep voiced man boy? Until tonight, I didn't think he knew your name. Hell, he even wrote a song about it." Patrick gave her another one of his 'this family is crazy' looks.

She took his hand and looked at him expectantly. "Why are you staying here? Did you get kicked out again? Is this the favour you were going to ask me earlier?" He gave her a small smile and patted her hand.

"It's nothing. My jackass stepfather kicked me out again." Patrick leaned against the couch and reached a hand up to caress Kat's face. "Don't worry about it." He stood up and pulled her up with him, and became severely conscious of the volume of his voice. "What you should be worrying about is your father catching us down here. Go back to bed. I really like the way my face is arranged at the moment, thank you." Kat laughed. "Go to sleep now, and dream about a world where the world is vegetarian and we all drive cars that run on water or whatever it is you dream about." He gave her a smirk and she turned to head upstairs.

But not before Patrick grabbed her arm and pulled her into a breath stealing kiss.

She very much doubted she could sleep now, they were both hot and bothered, and unable to do anything about it.

Skillfully making it back to her bedroom without disturbing her father, she lay back on her bed and sighed deeply, going over the events of the day that had occurred before her father had come home and the metaphorical shit had hit the metaphorical fan.

For once, she had been sure of her and Patrick. They were operating on each others' wavelengths. They had laid down their weapons (literally in the vein of '_make love not war'_ ) and all had been right with the world.

But as much as she tried to hold on to that feeling, she couldn't shake the one that told her there was still something else she was missing.

* * *

_Kat didn't really know what to say. Patrick had just nodded and looked down. He actually looked like he was squirming. The infamous cannibalistic terrifying Patrick Verona was brought down by his girlfriend's father._

"_And, don't think just because I'm not around sometimes, that you guys can do a repeat of today. No way, Kat. Not in my house." He sighed. "If I have to get you a babysitter, I will."_

"_Dad..." Did he really think that it was that abnormal for her to have sex? Was he in complete denial?_

_It was then that Kat looked at her father's ashen face and she truly felt bad._

"_You seriously betrayed my trust and disappointed me today, Kat. I don't know how long it will take for me to trust you again." Walter swallowed slowly and frowned. "It's not that you had ," he hesitated over the words, "sex..." He grimaced. Kat looked at him, doubting the truth of that statement._

"_Okay. Yes it is. Go to your room." He stopped his rant abruptly and waited for Kat to go to her room._

"_Seriously?" Kat was taken off guard._

"_Go!" Walter ordered, and Kat scrambled upstairs, taking a last confused look back at Patrick._

_Bianca looked between the older Stratford and the curly haired deep voiced man boy in front of her and got up to go to her room. _

"_Totally weird." She mumbled, grabbing the bag of Smart-food on the side table and heading upstairs to sulk._

"_Thank-you again, Mr. Stratford." Patrick said sincerely, looking nervously at Walter. "This is...this is beyond generous." Walter looked at the young man in front of him almost sympathetically._

"_Yeah well, just remember our deal." He said patting Patrick on the shoulder, "Don't worry, I won't tell her." Walter walked towards the garage to get his screwdriver for the door._

_Turning around once more he looked at the boy who had turned off the television and was sitting staring at the wall in deep thought._

_Walter took a deep breath, "But you probably should."_

_

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_

**A/N: AHH! I realize there are a lot of questions that I haven't answered yet, but the answers will slowly be revealed, I promise. **

**Please keep reviewing :) And again, feel free to make suggestions.**


	9. 16 and Fake Pregnant

**Chapter 9: **16 and Fake Pregnant

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**A/N: So I know I've been horrible with updating regularly and I apologize. My sister is getting married very very soon and I'm the maid of honour so I've been very busy! If you are still sticking with me, thank you so much! I have updated with two chapters so hopefully that will make up for it.**

**Also, I hope to update much more often (every other day) from now on.**

**Thank you to EVERYONE who has reviewed and faved and put this on alert. You are awesome.**

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"I'm not coming home, mom, not while he's still there"

"Patrick...where are you?"

"I'm at a friends house."

"Keith's?"

"No, a different friend."

"Just please tell me you're safe and you're not sleeping in the park again..."

"Nope. A couch."

"I love you...Claire misses you too."

"Goodbye, mom."

"Patrick, honey, please call me again soon."

Patrick hung up the phone in the Stratford's brightly lit kitchen, sighing heavily, closing his eyes and leaning back on the counter. He didn't notice the brunette peeking through the doorway hesitantly before heading into the kitchen. When he opened his eyes, he first noticed Kat's bulging stomach and took a second take.

"Woah." Patrick exclaimed. "How long was I on the phone?"

"9 months." Kat deadpanned, feeling a little mortified at the situation. "I'm pregnant with our love child."

Patrick gave her a puzzling look and examined her protruding belly. "Don't even joke about that." He said uncomfortably, uncrossing his arms and walking towards her, eyes falling back on her stomach.

Kat lifted her shirt to reveal the fake belly strapped around her. "My dear father presented this to me this morning. Apparently, I have to wear it all then I quote 'we'll see' " She lowered her shirt and gestured her arms giving Patrick a look that made it clear she thought Dr. Stratford was a little crazy. "He said something about birth control not being 100% effective. He's trying to make sure you never want to have sex with me again." Kat looked at Patrick apologetically as he moved even closer and placed his hands on her fake stomach.

"It looks so real." He looked up and smirked at her. "What do you think of the name Seven?" Kat gave him a quirky look, and then smiled back.

"What are you talking about? This is a ridiculously heavy fake sack thingy. Sans child. And besides, we would not be naming our fake baby Seven." She protested, swatting his hands away and laughing at his ridiculousness.

Kat's heart stirred a bit at the talk of babies, and tried to ignore the annoying female instinct that made her want to swoon at them pro-creating.

_They were still in freaking high school._

_But someday... _Kat let herself think_. Who knows?_

_Ugh. These thoughts were totally not cool._

"Good news!" Walter Stratford's enthusiastic voice rang through the kitchen as he stepped through the doorway and went to pour himself a cup of coffee.

Kat's face lit up with hope. "I get to take off this ridiculous belly?"

"No!" Walter exclaimed cheerily, and Kat's face fell. "I've been called in to deliver a baby!" Dr. Stratford turned to Patrick. "Are you ready to witness the miracle of life, Man-boy?" He asked, grinning.

Patrick eyed him wearily. "What do you mean?"

Walter rubbed his hands together in excitement, and then picked up his coffee to take a sip. "A field trip of course. Clearly a slideshow does not hit home enough." He cringed, remembering yesterday's events. Walter rushed out of the kitchen, grinning ear to ear. "Get ready to see the consequences of your choices up close and personal!"

Kat and Patrick exchanged extremely pained looks.

Kat shrugged it off. "He has to be kidding. Who would agree to letting some strange kid watch them give birth?"

* * *

"So...What did you think?" Dr. Stratford asked Patrick smiling widely, as the younger boy sat beside him in the front seat of the car.

"Uhhh..." was all that Patrick could get out as the images burned in his brain, played over in his head.

"It's life changing." Walter commented. Patrick cringed, remembering the moment Walter pointed out that the head was crowning.

"Totally." He managed, forcing himself to think of something else, "Life changing." He agreed.

He didn't care what anyone said,_ childbirth was unnatural. _He was also sure that Walter was enjoying his discomfort way too much.

"What was your favourite part?" Walter asked, and Patrick looked at him incredulously.

"Are you kidding?" Patrick asked. _The man was certifiable._

"Dr. Stratford." Patrick began, trying to change the subject and think of anything else, "Do you mind dropping me at my house for 5 minutes? I need to pick up some stuff."

Walter's evil looking grin faded a bit and he looked at Patrick sadly. "I think that can be arranged."

Patrick managed a smile. "Thanks."

* * *

"So when's my niece or nephew due?" Bianca couldn't contain her laughter at seeing Kat fake pregnant in the living room watching some Discovery program on the life of fish.

"Shut up." Kat said and made a annoyed grunt, trying to pay attention to the reasons why jellyfish and starfish were not actually classified as fish, and not the events of the previous night when her father had walked on her and Patrick post-coital, or the fact that Patrick was currently with her father being subjected to witnessing live childbirth, or the fact that her sister was currently hysterical at seeing her fake pregnant belly. Kat frowned and scrunched her face.

Bianca had tears in her eyes from laughter. "I was going to invite you to go see a movie with me and Dawn but..." Bianca laughed, "I don't know if you should go out in public like that."

Kat frowned deeper, unamused. "That's the whole idea," She smiled bitterly. "Dad is making sure that I am never able to leave the house again. Also, he's making sure that I'm never alone with Patrick again. It's wonderful.". Kat gestured to her stomach."I hope my car is okay in the parking lot all weekend. Covered in food and garbage. Because I can't leave the house like this. " She grinned sarcastically.

"By the way, thanks for sending him upstairs yesterday."

Bianca stopped laughing, and looked at her sister sympathetically. "Kat, I told you I'm so sorry. I had no idea Patrick was upstairs! Or that you two were having sex. While I was downstairs. With Cameron and Dawn. Wow that's kind of gross Kat."

Kat rolled her eyes and lightly threw a couch cushion at her sister.

"When Dad yanked Patrick downstairs and told us to watch him, it was hilari—ous." Bianca's voice sing-songed.

"I'm glad you find this soo amusing." Kat took a deep breath.

"Yeah, well it's the only thing distracting me from..." Bianca lost her grin. "Joey."

Kat looked at her sister and put an arm around her. "Sorry Bianca, I guess both of our lives are shit, right now."

Bianca scrunched her face. "I can't believe Patrick is living here. What do you think he said that made Dad agree to that?"

Kat shrugged and shifted her fake stomach. "I have no clue." Kat really wanted to know.

"Ooh can we watch 16 and Pregnant?" Bianca asked, grabbing the remote. Kat quickly snatched it back.

"No!"

* * *

Patrick slipped into his house, relieved to see no vehicles parked in the driveway. Nobody was home.

He quickly went to his room, grabbed a duffel bag and started to pack up some clothes, books, and other things he thought he might need. He saw the photo of him and his mother above his bed and stuffed that into his bag. Opening his desk drawer, he searched frantically.

It was gone. His father's swiss army knife was gone.

He couldn't believe the jackass had taken it. He'd been snooping in his room, and touching his stuff. And he took the last thing he had of his father. Besides that goofy San Diego zoo souvenir.

Kicking over his desk chair in anger, Patrick sat on his bed to collect himself. Reaching under, he pulled out his converse and threw them in the bag. Taking one last look at his bedroom he started towards the door.

That's when he heard someone enter, keys jingling, and then little feet running and stomping.

"Rawrrrr!" A small voice cried, laughing, "I'm a Tyrannosaurus Rex, mommy!"

The woman giggled. "What do you want for dinner, hon? Chicken fingers or macaroni?"

"Rawrr!" The little girl continued. "I eat people!"

Patrick sighed, reaching the kitchen. "Dinosaurs don't eat people, Claire."

"Patrick!" The girl cried, running to him and hugging his legs. "You're home."

His mother looked at him sadly, grabbing frozen chicken fingers from the freezer. Patrick picked up his sister and set her onto the kitchen stool.

"Sorry Claire Bear, I'm just visiting." He ruffled her hair and she frowned.

"Why did you leave? Is it cause Daddy yelled at you?" He didn't answer.

"Tell him thanks for stealing my shit, again, ma." He sighed loudly and gave Claire a hug. "I'll see you soon."

Patrick's mother slumped her shoulders. "Patrick." She called to him as he started to leave. "where's your bike? How'd you get here? How are you getting back? Are you hungry? Cause I could make you something..."

Patrick smiled bitterly. "No thanks. I got a ride." And he left, slamming the door behind him.

The older woman rushed outside to catch Patrick slipping into the front seat of a silver SUV.

And she'd be damned if the man driving didn't look familiar.

* * *

"So..." Kat began, eyeing Patrick hesitantly, "how was it?"

Patrick shuddered a bit, and then looked at Kat shaking his head. "I really don't want to talk about it."

He dropped his duffel at the foot of the couch.

Dr. Stratford came barrelling in with the phone, finishing ordering a pizza.

"Dinner's on it's way." He continued, noticing the two teens proximity to one another on the couch. Sitting between them he sighed dramatically. The two teens made uncomfortable faces.

"So, what are you two talking about?" He asked, picking up the remote, and ignoring the two teens bewildered expressions.

"Apparently, nothing." Kat answered, shrugging and looking away from Patrick who had begun to frown.

He was still sure this was better than home.

Some time later that night, Patrick had snuck his hand discretely behind Dr. Stratford to stroke Kat's hair as the family watched a movie about talking babies that Bianca had picked out.

He was having so much fun mercilessly mocking it with Kat.

Dr. Stratford still sat between them on the couch, smiling amused at the television and secure in the thought that he had physically separated the teens.

Bianca sat sprawled dejectedly in an armchair, witnessing the discreteness, not saying anything and managing a small smile.

A knock on the door startled the four and Patrick quickly removed his hand as Dr. Stratford stood up quickly and announced that he would get it.

Opening the door, Walter didn't know who he expected to see, but it certainly wasn't her.

"Hello." He greeted hesitantly, glancing back at the kids on the couch who had inched closer together in his absence. He recognized her. She was that woman he met during the fire, when everyone had evacuated to the school. "Vivian, right?" He looked at her questioningly. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Patrick had stood up and was now standing behind Dr. Stratford staring at the woman, Kat trailing behind him quite confused.

"I'm here to see my son."

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**Review please :) And don't forget to read the next chapter!**


	10. Revelations

**Chapter 10: **Revelations

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"I'm here to see my son."

Walter turned to see Patrick behind him. "Wait a second here, Patrick is your son?"

"Yes." Vivian pursed her lips and looked at Patrick. "And I need to speak with him, please."

Bianca was grinning ear to ear at the drama unfolding, and almost looked like she wanted to go pop popcorn.

"That's your mother?" Kat whispered to Patrick, and he gave her a look. Then louder, she asked her dad. "Wait, how do you know each other?"

"We met during the fire evacuation at the school." Walter explained, and then sent a worried look at Patrick that Kat couldn't quite decipher. "Come on in, Vivian." He motioned for her to enter the house, closing the door behind her.

"She's the one that got you drunk?" Kat questioned, eyes widening at the revelation. Patrick just looked at her confused. She turned to Patrick and playfully whispered to him. "Thought you killed your family 'cause they were slowing you down." She grinned at him, and he rolled his eyes at her, a smile threatening to spread across his face.

Vivian noticed the exchange. "Patrick." She said. "Can we talk, please?" He motioned for her to follow him into the kitchen and Kat anxiously paced the living room.

She bit her lip and scrunched her face. She was dying to know what was happening with him.

* * *

"Who's the girl?" was the first question his mother asked him, a small smile playing out on her mouth.

Patrick frowned and shrugged. "Kat."

"Is she your girlfriend?" Vivian continued and Patrick groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Is that what you came here for?"

"No." Vivian put her hand on his arm. "you need to come home, baby. Things are just going to get worse."

"Has he hit you?" Patrick asked, looking at a small bruise on her arm. She yanked it away.

"No." Vivian frowned at her son. "he may not be perfect, but I love him. And he's Claire's father."

"Yeah and my father wasn't perfect either. So far from perfect, that Ron doesn't want me in the house. He doesn't want me around. He knows I'm just like him."

"You are nothing like him!" Vivian protested, pursing her lips again.

"That's a lie." Patrick scoffed and crossed his arms, looking at his feet.

"Baby, you are better than him." She cooed, placing a hand on his arm again. "You have so much potential."

Patrick pulled away. "Yeah, away from there. Away from Ron. And away from all of that bullshit." He looked at his mother incredulously. "You have horrible taste in men, you know that?"

"Don't you talk to me like that, Patrick Verona." She warned. "Ron is not half as bad as you make him out to be." She breathed out heavily. "You also have no right to dictate to me about my love life!"

"Ron's a jackass. And he's corrupt." Patrick looked away from his mother's gaze. " Claire would be better off with no father, like me, than with that guy."

"You have a father." Vivian explained. "I'm sorry that he's not around. Maybe it's my fault."

"It is your fault!" Patrick yelled at his mother. "You chose to have a freaking child with him! And Ron." Patrick struggled to speak but ended up storming out of the kitchen, past Kat who looked bewildered and confused as to what she could do to help, and outside on to the porch.

Vivian slowly came out of the kitchen and faced Dr. Stratford and Kat and a curious looking Bianca still sitting in the chair.

"I think I'd better go, Walter. Thank you for letting Patrick stay here. It's beyond generous."

Walter looked at the woman sadly and sighed. "Yeah, well, deep down I think he's basically a good kid." He looked at Kat. "He better be."

Kat looked at the woman nervously. That was when Vivian noticed Kat's protruding belly. Her eyes widened. "Are you...?" The woman began worriedly, pointing at her belly and Kat shook her head furiously.

"No. No. No. No. No. Nooo. No. No." She said, revealing the fake nature of her pregnancy. "Not even a little bit. This is my dad's twisted idea of a punishment."

The woman looked visibly relieved. For a moment she thought she might be a grandmother.

"Oh." she managed, shooting a questioning look at Walter. "That...well I wish I could say that made sense, but..."

Bianca laughed from her seat, and Kat glared at her.

"I'm just trying to educate my daughter on the consequences of her actions." Walter explained tersely. "Actions that occurred in my own home, when I trusted her, and was supposed to be out of town"

Kat turned red in embarrassment. "Dad..."

Vivian raised her eyebrows. "I'd better go." She said again, exiting the house. "Thank you, Dr. Stratford." She took a small glance at her son, before getting in her car and driving away.

Kat gave her father a look before walking onto the porch. Patrick sat in a chair looking morose. She sat next to him.

"So..." she began. "I'm pretty sure your mother thought I was actually pregnant with your child" She scoffed, fighting embarrassment. " Also I'm pretty sure my father hit on your mom during the brush fire."

Patrick gave her a "that's crazy" look. Kat smiled at him.

"How are you doing?" She asked him, hesitantly and he shrugged.

"Your stepfather's really not a nice guy, huh?" She continued, putting a hand on his arm. He looked at her and brushed a hair around her ear. Sighing he turned his head away.

"I have to tell you something." and Kat pulled his arm closer. "I want to tell you something."

"Let me guess, your mother's a Mexican drug lord." She grinned. "She doesn't look it."

He didn't smile back. "Kat...I'm serious." Kat's smile faded.

"Okay." she said softly.

"Most of the rumours about me are complete bullshit, you know that." He leaned back in his chair. "But they all start somewhere."

Kat remained silent.

"My father. My real dad, he's in jail." Patrick spoke just above a whisper, the sound of his deep voice vibrating through Kat's body.

"For what?" She asked tentatively, and Patrick scoffed, his body tensing.

"He killed a guy." were the words that came out of his mouth.

"Are you serious?" Kat asked.

"I wish I wasn't." Patrick said softly, waiting for Kat to run away in horror. "As far as I'm concerned my dad died that day." Kat didn't run. She was looking at him with an undemanding expression.

"The picture on the keychain...is that your dad?"

"Yeah." Patrick's mouth turned up into a sad smile. "That's one of the few good memories I have of him." He paused. "I know this is insane. You don't have to pretend it's not."

"I'm so sorry, Patrick." Kat said, but the way she said it made all the difference. He didn't feel pitied at all. He wanted to kiss her. So he did. He didn't really care at the moment if Dr. Stratford minded.

"Patrick..." she breathed as they finally pulled away. "Why can't you go back home?"

"My stepfather's a cop." Patrick looked at Kat sadly. "In fact, he's the one who arrested my father. And he hates me. And he thinks i'm just like my father." Kat winced as if in pain. "Sometimes I'm worried I am."

"You're not." Kat said immediately. "You're not." She took his hand.

"I have a sister, you know." Kat looked at him surprised. "She's 5. Her name's Claire. And her father, Ron, my stepfather, he hits our mother sometimes." Kat sighed, heavily. "She left him awhile ago, but they got back together. My mom has a horrible track record with men, if you couldn't tell."

"She's pretty." Kat offered, and Patrick almost laughed.

"Yeah." Patrick agreed. "But stupid." Kat looked him in the eyes.

"Thank- you for telling me this." She squeezed his hand. And then,"What does my father know about it?"

"Pretty much everything." Patrick chuckled lowly despite himself. "I don't know what made me tell him, I just..."

"You just...?"

"I didn't want to lose you. Not again." He paused. "I love you." Kat's heart leaped at the words. This was only the third time he'd said it. She still couldn't believe it was true.

"I love you too."

* * *

Once the dramatic air had cleared, all four people in the Stratford household headed off to sleep. Kat was happy to be able to rid her fake belly for the night and Dr. Stratford was happy not to have to sleep in the hallway after installing a video camera outside Kat's bedroom door to make sure there were no late night visitors.

Kat lay back in bed, hand on her flat again stomach and sighed. She thought her dead mom/ sucky losing her virginity story had been all drama, but the load Patrick had to bear made her heart hurt. She could kind of understand why he had been so reluctant to open up to her. She also figured that's why he was in therapy.

Falling asleep for awhile, she found herself jolting out of bed and creeping downstairs. She'd figure out how to deal with the security camera situation later. Creeping in the tiny space next to Patrick on the couch, he awoke.

"Hey." She said, softly.

"Hey." He said back. "You're gonna get us in big trouble." Kat shrugged.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." His hands ran over her sides.

"I am now." And Patrick kissed her with everything he had.

Yeah, she'd worry about her dad later.

* * *

**A/N: So after I came up with the idea that the woman from Light My Fire might be Patrick's mother (which actually I remember wondering when I first saw the episode), I had to reconcile that idea with the fact that she said she was online dating and that she had left her husband of 30 years. So basically to explain that we have to ignore that she said 30 years. AHH go ahead and throw some food at me (I know it's a horrible continuity error) but since this is somewhat AU from the show from 1x18 onward, please allow me the excuse to do that by saying it is AU! Also, we will say that she was separated from Ron during that time. Hopefully that's not too off the wall.**

**Please Review! And I will update like very soon. Very very soon.**


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